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Pete_Holter
Guest
Chrysostom tells us:
“Yet surely, if you are willing to believe what is evident, the things invisible ought to be believed by you, rather than those which are seen. Even though what I say be a paradox, nevertheless it is true, and among men of understanding is fully acknowledged. For whereas the eyes are often deceived, not in the things unseen only (for of those they do not so much as take cognizance), but even in those which men think they actually see, distance and atmosphere, and absence of mind, and anger, and care, and ten thousand other things impeding their accuracy; the reasoning power of the soul on the other hand, if it receive the light of the divine Scriptures, will prove a more accurate, an unerring standard of realities” (Homily 13 on Matthew).
And
“Let us then in everything believe God, and gainsay Him in nothing, though what is said seem to be contrary to our thoughts and senses, but let His word be of higher authority than both reasonings and sight… For His word cannot deceive, but our senses are easily beguiled. That has never failed, but this in most things goes wrong” (Homily 82 on Matthew).
These are clear affirmations of total inerrancy.
Saint John Chrysostom, The Doctor of Preachers (A.D. 395): “‘Which is not another Gospel’ (Galatians 1:7).
“And justly, for there is not another. Nevertheless the Marcionites are misled by this phrase, as diseased persons are injured even by healthy food, for they have seized upon it, and exclaim, ‘So Paul himself has declared there is no other Gospel.’ For they do not allow all the Evangelists, but one only, and him mutilated and confused according to their pleasure. Their explanation of the words, ‘according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ’ (Romans 16:25), is sufficiently ridiculous; nevertheless, for the sake of those who are easily seduced, it is necessary to refute it. We assert, therefore, that, although a thousand Gospels were written, if the contents of all were the same, they would still be one, and their unity no wise infringed by the number of writers. So, on the other hand, if there were one writer only, but he were to contradict himself, the unity of the things written would be destroyed. For the oneness of a work depends not on the number of its authors, but on the agreement or contradictoriness of its contents. Whence it is clear that the four Gospels are one Gospel; for, as the four say the same thing, its oneness is preserved by the harmony of the contents, and not impaired by the difference of persons. And Paul is not now speaking of the number but of the discrepancy of the things spoken. With justice might they lay hold of this expression, if the Gospels of Matthew and Luke differed in the signification of their contents, and in their doctrinal accuracy; but as they are one and the same, let them cease being senseless and pretending to be ignorant of these things which are plain to the very children” (Commentary on Galatians 1:7).
Again, Chrysostom asserts that there is no contradiction in the Gospels and that there is no difference in the signification of their contents. He provides many examples of this, such as where he writes,
“He withdraws the choir of His disciples, and makes His discourse unto them: in His conversation with them providing that the rest also, who were yet very far from the level of His sayings, might find His lesson of self-denial no longer grievous unto them. Of which indeed both Luke gave intimation, when he said, that He directed His words unto them: and Matthew too, clearly declaring the same, wrote, ‘His disciples came unto Him, and He taught them’” (Homily 15 on Matthew).
Different words, but the same signification. Again, putting all of this together, this is in exact conformance with what the Church teaches:
“The truth of the Gospel account is not compromised because the Evangelists report the Lord’s words and deeds in different order. Nor is it hurt because they report His words, not literally but in a variety of ways, while retaining the same meaning… The exegete… should never forget that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit when they preached the good news; that the Gospels were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who preserved their authors from every error” (The Historicity of the Gospels).
“Yet surely, if you are willing to believe what is evident, the things invisible ought to be believed by you, rather than those which are seen. Even though what I say be a paradox, nevertheless it is true, and among men of understanding is fully acknowledged. For whereas the eyes are often deceived, not in the things unseen only (for of those they do not so much as take cognizance), but even in those which men think they actually see, distance and atmosphere, and absence of mind, and anger, and care, and ten thousand other things impeding their accuracy; the reasoning power of the soul on the other hand, if it receive the light of the divine Scriptures, will prove a more accurate, an unerring standard of realities” (Homily 13 on Matthew).
And
“Let us then in everything believe God, and gainsay Him in nothing, though what is said seem to be contrary to our thoughts and senses, but let His word be of higher authority than both reasonings and sight… For His word cannot deceive, but our senses are easily beguiled. That has never failed, but this in most things goes wrong” (Homily 82 on Matthew).
These are clear affirmations of total inerrancy.
Saint John Chrysostom, The Doctor of Preachers (A.D. 395): “‘Which is not another Gospel’ (Galatians 1:7).
“And justly, for there is not another. Nevertheless the Marcionites are misled by this phrase, as diseased persons are injured even by healthy food, for they have seized upon it, and exclaim, ‘So Paul himself has declared there is no other Gospel.’ For they do not allow all the Evangelists, but one only, and him mutilated and confused according to their pleasure. Their explanation of the words, ‘according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ’ (Romans 16:25), is sufficiently ridiculous; nevertheless, for the sake of those who are easily seduced, it is necessary to refute it. We assert, therefore, that, although a thousand Gospels were written, if the contents of all were the same, they would still be one, and their unity no wise infringed by the number of writers. So, on the other hand, if there were one writer only, but he were to contradict himself, the unity of the things written would be destroyed. For the oneness of a work depends not on the number of its authors, but on the agreement or contradictoriness of its contents. Whence it is clear that the four Gospels are one Gospel; for, as the four say the same thing, its oneness is preserved by the harmony of the contents, and not impaired by the difference of persons. And Paul is not now speaking of the number but of the discrepancy of the things spoken. With justice might they lay hold of this expression, if the Gospels of Matthew and Luke differed in the signification of their contents, and in their doctrinal accuracy; but as they are one and the same, let them cease being senseless and pretending to be ignorant of these things which are plain to the very children” (Commentary on Galatians 1:7).
Again, Chrysostom asserts that there is no contradiction in the Gospels and that there is no difference in the signification of their contents. He provides many examples of this, such as where he writes,
“He withdraws the choir of His disciples, and makes His discourse unto them: in His conversation with them providing that the rest also, who were yet very far from the level of His sayings, might find His lesson of self-denial no longer grievous unto them. Of which indeed both Luke gave intimation, when he said, that He directed His words unto them: and Matthew too, clearly declaring the same, wrote, ‘His disciples came unto Him, and He taught them’” (Homily 15 on Matthew).
Different words, but the same signification. Again, putting all of this together, this is in exact conformance with what the Church teaches:
“The truth of the Gospel account is not compromised because the Evangelists report the Lord’s words and deeds in different order. Nor is it hurt because they report His words, not literally but in a variety of ways, while retaining the same meaning… The exegete… should never forget that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit when they preached the good news; that the Gospels were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who preserved their authors from every error” (The Historicity of the Gospels).
And maybe Augustine really did write it and we just haven’t found the source for it yet.